Rotary engine.



' s. R. NICHOLS.

ROTARY ENGINE. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 22, 1909.

Patented July 19,1910.

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s. R. NICHOLS. ROTARY ENGINE.

ABPLIOATION FILED SEPT, 22, 1909. 964,933. Patented July 19, 1910.

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S. R. NICHOLS. ROTARY ENGINE. APPLIOATIOII FILED SEPT. 22, 1909.

Patented July 19, 19-10.

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SAMUEL R. NICHOLS, OF SETTLEMENT, ARKANSAS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 22, 1909.

Patented July 19, 1910. Serial No. 518,918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R. NICHOLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Settlement, in the county of Van Buren, State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to rotary engines.

The invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and :Figure 1 is an elevation from one side of a rotary engine constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is an elevation from one end or edge thereof. Fig. 3 is an elevation from the side opposite Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section taken through the axis of the engine. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a section on the line 66 of Fig. 5 showing the abutment in the position it occupies when the cylinder is clear for the passage of the piston. Fig. 7 is a similar section showing the abutment in the position which it occupies when across the cylinder.

The base of the engine is indicated at 10 and on this base is formed the lower half 11 of the stator, the upper half 12 being secured thereto by means of suitable bolts 13 extending through flanges 14 formed on the upper and lower halves. Formed around the interior of this stator is a steam channel 15 and the inner periphery of the stator is provided with a series of annular serrations 16.

The rotor 17 is likewise provided with a series of annular serrations 18 and the serrations 18 and 16 interlock so that lateral movement of the rotor relative to the stator is prevented. Furthermore, this serrated arrangement tends to prevent the escape of steam from the cylinder. The rotor 17 is further provided with an annular peripheral channel 19 and this channel coacts with the steam channel 15 to form an annular cylinder. Fixed upon the stator 17 in the channel 19 are diaphragms 20 which completely fill the cylinder formed by the channels 15 and 19, the diaphragms thus acting as pistons for the rotor. In the present instance there are provided two of these diaphragms but it is obvious that this number may be varied to accomodate varying circumstances.

Suitably spaced around the inner portion of the stator are abutment chambers 21 and these chambers in longitudinal section have peripherals which are arcs of a circle as can clearly be seen by reference to Fig. 5. Gentrally of the circular arc in each of these chambers the stator is provided with oppositely disposed openings which form bearings for shafts 22 whereto are keyed abutments 23 which entirely fill the chambers 21 and which may be positioned, as shown in Fig. 7, to extend entirely across the cylinder. It will thus be seen that these abutments must have a width equal to that of the cylinder and a diameter somewhat greater than twice the diameter of the cylinder and that the ends of these abutments in cross section must be semi-circular. In order to render the abutments light without interfering with their strength each abutment is provided with a hollow interior as can clearly be seen from reference to the figures.

Fixed upon one side of the rotor 17 is a cam 24 preferably provided with a lip 25 and this cam 24 is so arranged that each of the piston diaphragms 20 will lie opposite a high point on the cam so that the high points on the cam are made equal in number to the number of pistons. Upon the face of the stator adjacent each of the abutment chambers is fixed a guide 26 and through each of these guides passes a bar 27 which is connected by a pin and slot connection 28 to one arm of a lever 29 fixed to the respective shaft 22 of the abutment adjacent which the guide 26 is mounted. The inner end of each of the bars 27 bears against the cam 24 and it will be noted that as the cam rotates the bars 27 will be successively forced outward. In order to retract these bars the free end of the lever 29 has connected thereto one end of a spring 30 the opposite end of which is connected to a post 31 fixed upon the stator. Now, owing to the peculiar arrangement of the cam and the piston diaphragms as these diaphragms move around the cylinder the cam will successively raise the bars 27 and the cam is so positioned that this raising 7 takes place just prior to the'time when the piston reaches the abutment. As the bar 27 is raised the shaft 22 is rotated and the abutment moved to the position shown in Fig. 6, thus leaving the cylinder clear for the passage of the piston.

Steam pipes 32 open into the cylinder by means of ports 33 formed in the stator and these steam pipes are so spaced that the ports are close to but in advance of each of the abutment chambers. It is to be understood throughout the specification that by the term in advance of is meant in the direction of movement of the rotor. Each. of the steam pipes 32 is provided with a valve 34 and these valves have stems 35 projecting from each end of the valve so that onepart of the stem of each valve extends over the front of the machine while the other end of the stem extends over the back thereof. Upon the end of the stem which projects over the front of the stator there is mounted a lever 36 provided with a cup-shaped end 37. Con nected to the same end of the lever 29 next in advance of each of the levers 36 as that to which the spring 30 is connected, is a push rod 38 the free end of which moves in a guide 39 mounted on the stator. This push rod isso arranged that as the bar 27 is moved outward by the action of the cam the push rod will contact with the cup end 37'o-f the lever 36 and move the same to the position shown at the top of Fig. 1, the

finish ofthe movement being shown in Fig.

1 at the lower right hand side, while the beginningis shown at the lower left hand side. When this lever 36 is in the position indicated at the top, its valve 34 will be turned to the closed position as can be seen from reference to Fig. 5, while when the lever 36 is in the position shown at the lower lefthand portion of Fig. 5, it will be open. Now, itwill be noted that the push rods 38 at the bottom of and to the right hand of Fig. 2 are normally held by their weight in proper position to engage the cup ends 37 of the respective levers 36..

The push rod at the upper left hand portion of Fig. 1 tends, by its weight, to fall down to such position that it cannot engage the cup end and in order to counteract this, upon that special lever 29 to which this push rod is attached, there is mounted a spring 40 the free end of which bears against the push rod and normally tends to hold it in raised position as clearly shown in said figure. From a further inspection of Fig. 1 it will be seen that atthe time the cam raises the bar 27 at the upper portion of that figure, the push rod 38 acts to close the valve 34 at the lower right portion of the figure. It will be noted that the cam acts in this manner at just the time when the piston is passing the abutment in advance of the port 33 of the valve which has just been closed. In

this manner the valve is closed as the piston reaches the abutment and thus the waste of steam is prevented.

v Exhaust pipes 41 are provided each just to the rear of one of the abutments and these exhaust pipes are so arranged that the actual closing of the respective valves 34 takes place just as the piston reaches the exhaust pipe next in advance of each of the valves 34. I11 order to open these valves when the piston has passed the abutment and the abutment has again assumed position across the cylinder, the stems 35 have upon their opposite ends levers 42 and upon each of the abutment shafts 22 is mounted an arm 43 whereto is pivoted acatch 44 normally drawn toward the arm by means of a spring 45. These parts are so proportioned that as the abutment is swung out of the path of the piston the arm 43 will be swung around to move the catch 44 to such position that it will strike against the lever 42 of its respective valve and catch over the end there of as can be clearly seen by reference to the top of Fig. 3.

In order to provide for preventing the arm 44 from moving too far inward and making it ineffective in operation, stops 46 are suitably positioned on the stator and the catch normally bears against these stops as can be seen by reference to the lower part of Fig. 3. Now, referring to the upper part of Figs. 1 and 3 it will be noted that the catch 44 has engaged the arm 42 while the cam is in position to raise the bar 27. As soon as the cam revolves sufliciently far to permit the bar to drop after the action of the spring 30, the piston 20 will have moved past the abutment chamber and to such position that it will have gone somewhat beyond the port 33 adjacent that chamber. WVhen this takes place the bar falls and as it falls the lever 42 is drawn outward by the catch 44 and assumes the position shown in the lower right hand portion of Fig. 3. In other words, the valve is open.

While the serrated surfaces indicated at 16 and 18 serve largely to prevent the escape of steam from the cylinder further provision is made. Suitably positioned on each side of the stator are clips 47 to which are hinged angle plates 48 which may have their free ends adjusted to or from the stator by means of bolts 49. Beneath the free ends of these plates 48 are held packing rings 50 formed in sections and these rings are so arranged that they are pressed, by means of the free ends 48, against the crack between the stator and rotor, thus absolutely preventing any waste of steam through this opening in the event that the parts do not fit properly.

As the operation of the device has been described step by step it is only deemed necessary to say that upon steam being turned on the rotor is caused to revolve by the pressure of the steam between one or more of the abutments and the pistons and as these pistons arrive at a point adjacent each abutment that abutment is swung out of the way while at the same time the valve behind the piston is closed. After the piston passes the abutment and the steam port next in advance thereof the valve controlling that steam port is opened and the abutment swung around to close the cylinder. This operation takes place successively as often as a piston passes an abutment.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. In a rotary engine, an annular stator having a circular steam channel extending around the inner surfaces of the stator; in combination with a rotor closing the opening through the stator and having a peripheral steam channel extending therearound and co-acting with the channel in the stator to form an annular cylinder, diaphragms fixed in the channel of the rotor to completely fill the cylinder and form pistons therefor, abutments carried by the stator and movable into and out of said cylinder, means to move said abutments actuated by the movement of the rotor, steam pipes leading to said cylinder in advance of said abutments, a valve in each pipe, means connected to each abutment to close the valve to the rear of said abutment as the abutment is moved out of the cylinder, and other means connected to said abutment to open the valve next in advance as the abutment is moved into the cylinder.

2. In a rotary engine, a stator provided with a series of chambers, an abutment held in each of said chambers, shafts extending through each of the chambers in the stator on which said abutments are mounted, a steam inlet in advance of each of the abutments, a valve controlling said steam inlet, valve levers for actuating said valves, an arm mounted on each abutment shaft, a push rod extending from each of said arms in the direction of the valve next to the rear of the abutment, said push rod being arranged to contact with said valve lever and close the valve as the abutment is rotated, a sec ond lever carried by the shaft of each abutment, and a latch on said second lever arranged to engage the lever of the valve next in advance of the abutment and opening said valve as the abutment is moved toward the rotor, a cam moving with said rotor and bars bearing against said cam and arranged to move the abutments in one direction as the cam is rotated, and springs to move the abutments in the opposite direction during the further rotation of the cam.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL R. NICHOLS.

IVitnesses J. B. BRADFORD, W. W. HARPER. 

